Can we take Outsourcing to the Next Level? The way we are working is not working!

I have spent most of my adult life thinking about Corporate Real Estate and Facility Management. Along the way, I have been influenced by many leaders. This inspiration has led me to think about the Corporate Real Estate and Facility Management industry in a more strategic way – outside of the mainstream. You may find my article on “Taking Outsourcing to the Next Level”.

Business process outsourcing industry remains as one of the attracting business models. However, despite all the recent market growth, outsourcing rates still remain very low in the service industry, and reliance on professional service companies is very limited, the industry is at a turning point according to McKinsey article.

Based on my industry experience, only 15-20% of companies outsource Real Estate and Facility Management functions in the Middle East, Noth Africa, and Turkey. Most corporations are wasting valuable company potential, resources, employee time, and energy by deciding not to outsource non-critical operations. There is a tremendous opportunity for business leaders as long as they notice and address these barriers and constraints. We can’t change the facts, but we do have a choice. Not making this change exposes companies to unnecessary risks.

Tony Schwartz is the President and CEO of The Energy Project, which helps individuals and organizations perform at their best, points out that “The way we are working is not working.”

I am in agreement with Tony’s statement. With the rise of the “shared” economy, in a not too distant future, we will be witnessing that most of the corporations will increase the rate of outsourcing and transfer the Real Estate and Corporate Facility functions to specialist Facility Management companies. No single decision will have so profoundly positive impact on our already depleted natural resources. We will be most effective at managing our corporate resources when we start making these important changes.

Within this wider context, Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) services respond to this immediate need at the system level. In the last couple of decades, the concept of Facilities Management emerged as an important business discipline. And ideas put forward and mentioned in this article are now generating growth, expansion, and transformation for most of our business partners and clients.

In my opinion, FM services will gain even bigger reputation in the following years. As an emerging business discipline, it has the broader ability to transform the entire service industry.

Want to know more about on this topics, more articles on “Leadership”, “Presence”, and “Workplace Management”:

A Leader in Corporate Real Estate and Facilities Management, Evrim Ay is the author of “Sustainable Facilities Management” book. In this blog, he makes a strong business case and a compelling argument for “workplace management“, “wellness“, and “productivity“. He believes that the way we are working is no longer working!